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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Unmasked

People frequently ask what I get out of writing the blog. There are a lot of reasons, but a major one is to be able to shape the debate about "the psychopath problem." I care about public perception of psychopaths because I believe that it will become increasingly difficult for sociopaths to stay hidden, perhaps through genetic testing, or even by identifying sociopathic patterns in personal information the same way that certain financial accounting practices make fraud easily identifiable. Under the headline "Upending Anonymity, These Days the Web Unmasks Everyone," the NY Times reports:

Not too long ago, theorists fretted that the Internet was a place where anonymity thrived.

Now, it seems, it is the place where anonymity dies.

A commuter in the New York area who verbally tangled with a conductor last Tuesday — and defended herself by asking “Do you know what schools I’ve been to and how well-educated I am?” — was publicly identified after a fellow rider posted a cellphone video of the encounter on YouTube. The woman, who had gone to N.Y.U., was ridiculed by a cadre of bloggers, one of whom termed it the latest episode of “Name and Shame on the Web.”

Women who were online pen pals of former Representative Anthony D. Weiner similarly learned how quickly Internet users can sniff out all the details of a person’s online life. So did the men who set fire to cars and looted stores in the wake of Vancouver’s Stanley Cup defeat last week when they were identified, tagged by acquaintances online.

The collective intelligence of the Internet’s two billion users, and the digital fingerprints that so many users leave on Web sites, combine to make it more and more likely that every embarrassing video, every intimate photo, and every indelicate e-mail is attributed to its source, whether that source wants it to be or not. This intelligence makes the public sphere more public than ever before and sometimes forces personal lives into public view.

There are already examples of websites dedicated solely and single-mindedly to outting sociopaths, Lovefraud comes to mind. Those sites don't scare me because no one serious takes them seriously. If sociopaths could be identified through internet or other activity, though, that could mean an entirely different way of life for most of us. For better or for worse?

138 comments:

The great unwashed are all too willing to confess their 'sins' by over-sharing, submit to the silent coercion of normalisation, and police others under the guise of exercising their 'personal' moral responsibilities.

The web is the perfect arena for this – instant communication, filled with no communication, measured in meaningless Likes.

I personally believe that non-violent sociopathic traits will be increasingly normalised because people are pathologised according to whether or not they're useful to a society.

Covert aggressors are gifted and fluid illusionists who can be *openly elevated* in a throwaway culture dependent on surface appearances to thrive. Overt aggressors? Not so much.

Differences in status, as opposed to character, are increasingly coming to define 'good' and 'bad' now. He who has the most toys... 'cares.'

people are going to be shunned or arrested for a bad reputation or giving people a hard time? Not likely. If you steal and cheat enough people and enough local newspapers can out you as a manipulative con artist, yeah that's pretty inconvenient. But being a pain in the ass?

I have a narcissist/borderline (mostly narcissist) friend who was thrown out of her gym for causing enough trouble. She's an extreme case, however the most brilliant person I know.

She's always in the right. she has destroyed a relationship because she put out a personal ad asking for a "no-strings attached" relationship, and then when she became enraged at a personal rejection after the affair was over, she sent all correspondences to the guy's girlfriend.

You think her reputation doesn't follow her around?

one day her actions may be in a local paper.

I doubt she cares. I see her walking around town with her nose in the air, oblivious to the fact that some people know and dislike her and steer the fuck clear away from her. In her mind they're all beneath her.

She isn't likely to change. She has been in therapy. Actually, one of her stories is that she took a therapist to court for molesting her. True? WHO KNOWS!

If you ask me, she sucks the life out of people and destroys everything in her path.

She hasn't been to jail. She hasn't done anything illegal.

She's a trouble maker, pure and simple. And if you play with shit your hands are going to get dirty. That's about it, though.

According to her, her shit don't stink.

She's responsible for outing herself, not the reverse.

More self aware and INTELLIGENT people usually don't do shit they can't reverse in one way or another.

neo hitler will begin wasting 'paths, as they won't be tolerated in a universe in which the grand scheme tends to favor the evolution of kindness and trust, which would evolve much quicker if it weren't for 'paths, who contaminate the world, and, with their uncalled for malicious actions, hold people back from the greatness that could be achieved.

What would the human story be without its enemies to project upon to? These polarities are where life, death, instinct, consciousness and redemption are played out repeatedly. Same story, new social media.

The population at large is becoming less and less inhibited. In a way they are becoming more and more like us. I mean trolling is kinda like sociopath baby step number 1. They want a reaction from people. A negative one. They want to hurt and shame. They want to ridicule and destroy peoples lives. Why? Because they can. Because it is fun to them. Those things are pretty fun for me.

The population at large is getting more and more boredom ridden. They need constant stimulation and the future generations are just getting worse and worse. The world we live in is full of flashing lights and music pipped in from all directions. They are constantly stimulated with pleasurable stimuli. Add drugs(pharmaceutical and other) in to the mix and you have a population immersed in serotonin.

With technology you get isolation and more and more of the population is becoming separated from the flock. That's the death of empathy. You can't identify with something that is alien and that is the way people are becoming to one another.

The population is adopting our traits. They don't know even notice. Blending in so many ways would be so much harder 30 years ago. Yet society is becoming more accepting. You can get away with more and people are very willing to chalk it up to you being you. The more uniqueness that is allowed the easier it is for me to function. I live in others people tolerance.

"What would the human story be without its enemies to project upon to?"

complete bullshit, the only valuable enemies are honorable enemies, fighting for something "worth it", like cures for human maladies, not some trivial bullshit 'path who just attacks with no substantive reason, except to just fuk shit up.

"What is this 'grand scheme' of which you speak? And how does it favour such an evolution?"

the universe is undefined and so are we, but as beings we dont like the pain of ill health and death, and want to destroy these things so we can fuck more young women across the millennia, of course who wants to fuck some bullshit 'path who doesn't care?, we want plenty more variety of the good kind, and to support harems, these things are less possible wit bullshit 'paths around.

The world isn't becoming more sociopathic, there have always been bastards and good people since the beginning of time, people who have had perfect up bringings won't stray down the 'wrong' path. Lacking empathy is from extremem trauma in childhood, children aren't born evil, if you disagree with me then give me one example of someone who was born evil. However, I do believe that genes play a big role. Facebook and twitter are making people more image focused and narcissistic if anything, but if something that petty can change them then they had selfishness in them from the beginning.

"but if something that petty can change them then they had selfishness in them from the beginning."

We all do. I think it is hilarious how you talk of kindness etc then come here and spout your mouth off with your own brand of cruelties. Lead by example has never been your style obviously. Neo Hitler bullshit is hilarious though. Hitler was a sociopath. I'm guess mecha-hitler is too. Such stupidity.

"neo-hitler is a re-incarnated hitler who has now learned he was actually after the sociopath, which is the jew."

So you made up a fantasy idea about a guy who was considered one of the most evil men of history. Choose him as your leader for good? Are you 14? You must be on summer break. Pick up a history book. You might learn yourself sumthin boy.

Zeric wrote "I don't know whether people are becoming more sociopathic, but I do believe that non-violent sociopathic traits are becoming more socially acceptable and even coveted."

Sociopath vs. Empath is the Grand delusion.

The truth resides in universal HUMAN traits or more specific primate traits as the umbrella of behavior.

Transformations within culture have a pattern like signature. Different 'human' traits are favored or enhanced depending on environmental factors.

I agree with Kesu. If you pick up a history book you will discover that we all live in this tent called "The Grand Harem Scheme" multiplying like rabbits, even the coyotes leave their genetic imprints.

IMO, psychopathy and sociopathy should be legally recognized categories.

And in order to make it harder for them to be exploitative, they should be, when found to be psychopathic, tagged with a facial tattoo. Something neat and spiky under the eye or on the cheek.

I mean, if psychopaths are more likely to charm parole boards and get granted parole, even though they are several times as likely to re-offend, isn't it time to even the odds and make it obvious who's really different..

Sure, it'd lead to some discrimination, surely, but that'd be just karmic justice for all the past shit 'paths have been pulling.

I know you have the same stand point with this as I do, M.E., to me that has been clear all along. And - as I think most are aware of by now - I do it for the same reason (though obviously not solely for this reason).

The detail about the Internet is worth noting also, because in some ways it is becoming even harder to stay truly anonymous on the Internet than it is to do the same in the Offline reality.

Everything we "say" on the Internet stays and is possible to track down later. Offline we can at least talk confidentially and really be confidential.

You mention websites like Lovefraud, but lately it seems like these types of websites are becoming a minority as opposed to the many, many websites that publish articles about 'us'.

- And yes, it is about Sociopaths and AsPD"ers too (don't you get too relaxed, guys!), as well as about BPD'ers, and in some areas of the Western part of the world even the Aspies.

As I've said on several occasions, this is not really about psychopathy or sociopathy and AsPD, it's about everybody and everyone eventually, who don't fit the mainstream profile.

It's not in the nature of people like us to panic, and that's also not my point. I use dramatic terms only because they're the ones that describes reality. And in my opinion it's better to know than not to know. And being unafraid is a bad reason to not be prepared.

So yeah, I think it's good you brought it up, M.E.!

Ps. Maybe a few of the negative neurotypicals can see here that we do have the ability to care! Very, very few have a full score of 40, and the rest us are merely slightly less emotional than you, which doesn't mean we have no feelings at all. - Don't get fooled by the many troll kids who think it's cool to 'sound' unfeeling and hateful. That's just not the reality!

"no, because zhawq keeps trying to make out that psychopaths can be 'nice'. we all know that's not the case."

So you are here just for Zhawq. Wow, how important must he be to you. I mean if you really hated us like you say you do then wouldn't you just stay away from us? I mean that would be the civil thing. I think you are just butt-hurt. You think the person who hurt you that way was an S. So you come here and rave. Well all I have to say is that it was you who got yourself hurt. Had you been more aware of your surroundings it probably would have never happened. So it was your fault for exposing whatever it was to whoever it was. Your fault that you have weakness that others take advantage of. Why not learn from your mistakes and grow stronger? You probably are too busy blaming us for your faults. Get over your weakling self. I am survival of the fittest. I am natures answer to humans getting rid of natural selection. You can evolve to be smaller, less noticeable, and overall weaker, but I evolved fangs and claws, a natural camouflage, and the ability to dominate what is around me. You tell me from the stand point of evolution which one of us is the better pick?

'I am survival of the fittest. I am natures answer to humans getting rid of natural selection. You can evolve to be smaller, less noticeable, and overall weaker, but I evolved fangs and claws, a natural camouflage, and the ability to dominate what is around me.'

omg you should be silent. you're just like everybody else except more of an asshole. psychopaths destroy society, and themselves. they're dysfunctional people, that's all.

NTs have open reign over just about every forum accessible and devised. I wonder why it is they feel the need to infiltrate this one small forum as well. If you don't like a group of people, why not take your bigotry and prejudice somewhere like minded individuals reside? A Klan rally, perhaps? Go away.

You must really be very insecure if you need to wrap yourself in anonymity to wage a self righteous war against a completely indifferent foe.

in order to be considered a psychopath you have to exhibit a certain pattern of behaviours wich are generally considered, 'bad'. if you do not exhibit these behaviours, you are not a psychopath. therefore, all psychopaths are bad.

1. 'paths that have any empathy at all are only 'paths to a degree, make up your mind in % what this degree is currently and stay there, dont shift your point of view between "i have no empathy" and "i have some empathy". make your mind, fuck you.

2. 'paths with some empathy = benevolent 'paths.

3. 'paths without empathy = malicious 'paths.

4. a benevolent 'path says fuck all society and everything that comes with it, and scams people to "a degree", nothing that really destroys anyone, just mainly trivial little fuk ups, that give life a little more excitement for the "burnt". but this is only middle school shit in adults.

5. a malicious 'path seeks to "destroy" for pure fun, and the more damage the happier.

6. neo hitler does care about the piddly little faggot 'paths that cause no real damage, neo-hitler will lay waste to the 'paths that fall under the category of cheney.

The people who paint sociopaths out to be good people on here are delusional. Sociopaths aren't bad people they are TERRIBLE people.

They dump all their problems and shortcomings on their closest and nobody on the outside will never know because they are skilled at manipulation.

If you try and treat psychopath as an equal they will try to dominate you in one way or another. I was married to one of these evil bastards for three years, i was beaten to a pulp and emotionally and financially abused. After years of hearing the constant bragging and the devaluationg i called it a day and i haven't looked back :)

You will never force such things onto me. I will never accept them. I am made to not accept them. You are ignorant. When you force others into a way of living you kill them slowly. By inches. Have you ever seen people who were in cults for a long time? They have dead eyes.. The lights are no longer. They've given up. They lost hope. They gave in and gave up. They deserve every abuse that befalls them too. They let it happen. Fight. Stand up and fight and don't stop. If death comes you fight. If you live you keep fighting. That is all there is. If you stop fighting then rot. Be in pain. I hope it consumes you and burns every part of you with a flame so wickedly hot that no one can see it and it steals the air from your lungs so you can't scream. You forcing your ideals on people make you no different than the paths you hate.

"I was married to one of these evil bastards for three years, i was beaten to a pulp and emotionally and financially abused. After years of hearing the constant bragging and the devaluationg i called it a day and i haven't looked back :)"

Well if that's true you're a fucking moron for staying with him. You shouldn't be pleased with yourself.

I don't even consider myself part of society because I live life on my own terms. I don't care about being nice and I don't want to help people or make the world a better place. I never said I was a nice person though.

I hope you know I ripped ALL of your pictures off the wallI love you Slim, we coulda been together, think about itYou ruined it now, I hope you can't sleep and you dream about itAnd when you dream I hope you can't sleep and you SCREAM about itI hope your conscience EATS AT YOU and you can't BREATHE without meSee Slim; *screaming*Shut up bitch! I'm trying to talk!

All my life I've listened to mainstream music and worn preppy clothing, I was never an outcast. My 'friends' tried to educate me on what they called 'real' music, i thought they were idiots, these losers telling me what i should listen to and they can't even get a girlfriend and they look like morons in their black clothes. When I'm trying to make an impression I say I listen to classical music, but I have no idea about most music or anything really, I can only copy. I found out that most of these idiots who get caught up in punk and rock crowds have serious self esteem issues, i never had a desire to want to 'belong'

I'm not a socio although I do have alot of its traits. My friend I suspect is a socio. We think alike. We both are antisocial but when we need something look for people. He is unfaithful and beats all his ex gfs. He says he did it because they were all boring. I'm not boring I can get loud and aggressive whenever and so can he(which I like). I'm not emotional but show my loyalty by only having sex with the person. He has spent even a few thousands and time to come see me. He even stole a cellphone a few days ago to called me. When we get bored we tend to look for each other. I don't care about him to the point of where he dies I'll cry continuously but maybe just say "oh that sucks". He wants to build a relationship where we both can only have sex with eachother. Does anyone think it'll work? We are both VERY dominant but can calm it down so the other one can get a kick out of it from time to time. I asked him we can just be friends and ruin people like that we don't have to worry about being faithful blah blah but he said I'll be a good companion. I do listen to his twisted ideas and he listens to mine. He has harmed me alot but I've ruined his reputation to a lot of his friends and mine. We both get verbally abusive (really bad) but never really take it to heart since we figure we can both take it. We are both manipulative. A few months ago we took eachother's masks and he's been trying for a year to get into a relationship with me. But if we do I'm only going to see him as my property and I'm sure he'll see me the same way. Does anybody think this will work though? I told him eventually we'll get bored I mean you can't really think a relationship like this can last a life time, right?

Do you agree also that the solution is not more "socialism" or "communism" and so called equality? What we think of as equality is really suppression.

Oh, absolutely, dear.

We may think we're free, but we're only free to choose a 'lifestyle', which is essentially coerced - everywhere we turn in our great modern land we have only the freedom to choose what is the same beneath a surface of manufactured individuality.

Free from what dear? Free to do what? What does freedom even mean? Freedom, like free will, is like an urban legend.

we're only free to choose a 'lifestyle', which is essentially coerced - everywhere we turn in our great modern land we have only the freedom to choose what is the same beneath a surface of manufactured individuality.

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Of course, my default is still to intuitively analyze every outcome and situation and achieve the best result, but it's more interesting to let people remain a variable and go in their own direction, rather than nudging them in the direction I prefer. Interacting with people WITHOUT trying to control them is a new paradigm for me.